THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY

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THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ANDTHE
CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY
Banpot Napompeth AdviserNational Biological
Control Research Center (NBCRC)Kasetsart
University, Bangkok Thailand

• Chairman, National Biosafety Committee
  Chairman, Ad Hoc Working Group on BWC
  Chairman, Ad Hoc Working Group on IAS
  Chairman, Ad Hoc Working Group on Biosafety
• Law Drafting
  Committee

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Chronology of the Events on the Global
Environment and DevelopmentLeading to the
Convention on Biological Diversity and the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

• 1962 Rachel Carsons SILENT SPRING
• 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment
  organized in Stockholm, Sweden (The Stockholm
  Conference)
• 1981 IUCN began drafting the Convention on
  Biological Diversity
• 1987 UN World Commission on Environment and
  Development
• (The concept of Sustainable Development
  initiated)
• December 1989 UN General Assembly (UNGA) called
  for a meeting of all the nations on earth to deal
  with the problems and resolutions on matters
  related to the environment and development (An
  Earth Summit)

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• May 22, 1992 UN Convention on Biological
  Biodiversity (CBD) adopted
• June 13, 1992 UN Conference on Environment and
  Development (UNCED) (The Earth Summit/The Rio
  Summit) organized in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  (Signing of the CBD) (67 signatures)
• December 29, 1992 CBD entered into force on the
  90th day after the date of deposit of the 30th
  instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval
  
• or accession (now 188 Parties, Thailand is
  the 188th Party)
• January 29, 2000 at 0450 AM the Cartagena
  Protocol on Biosafety adopted in Montreal, Canada

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• September 2002 World Summit on Sustainable
  Development (WSSD),
• or the Rio 10, or the Johannesburg Summit
• (WEHABE - Water, Environment, Health,
  Agriculture, Biodiversity,
• and Education)
• (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation)
• (To reduce biological diversity loss by
  2010)
• (Partnership Types I and II)
• September 11, 2003 the Cartagena Protocol on
  Biosafety entered into force , the 90th day after
  the date of deposit of the 50th instrument of
  ratification, approval or accession by States or
  regional economic integration organizations that
  are Parties to the CBD
• (as of August 4, 2004 there are 107 Parties,
  Thailand is yet to ratify the Protocol)

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Globally Important International Agreements
Related to Biological Diversity from the Rio
Summit

• The Rio Declaration on the Environment and
  Development

• Agenda 21 (Programs of Action for Sustainable
  Development)

• CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity)

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The Rio Declaration on the Environment and
Development
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Agenda 21 (Program of Action
for Sustainable Development)

• A document of Hope
• A principal global plan to confront and overcome
  the economic and ecological problems of the late
  20th Century into the 21st Century
• It provides a comprehensive blueprint for
  humanity to use to forge its
• way into the 21st Century
• It is not a static document, it is a plan action
• It is meant to be a hands-on instrument to guide
  the development of
• the earth in a sustainable manner

Agenda 21Chapter 16 - Environmentally Sound
Management of
BiotechnologyProgram Area D Enhancing safety
and developing
international mechanism for cooperation
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Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD)(Conserv
ation of Biological Diversity, Sustainable Use of
Its Components and Fair and Equitable Sharing of
the Benefit Arising out of the utilization of
Genetic Resources)
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Article 19 - Handling of Biotechnology and
Distribution of Its
BenefitsPara 3 The Parties shall consider
the need for and modalities of a
protocol setting out appropriate
procedures, including, in particular, advance
informed agreement (AIA), in the field of
safe transfer, handling and use of any
living modified organism (LMO)
resulting from biotechnology that may
have adverse effect on the
conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity
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Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
(Ensuring an Adequate Level of Protection in
the Field of the Safe Transfer, Handling and Use
of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) Resulting
from Modern Biotechnology (Genetic Engineering)
that May have Adverse Effects on the Conservation
and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity,
Taking also into Account Risks to Human Health,
and specifically focusing on Transboundary
Movements)
International Legally Binding Agreement Under the
CBD
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Tools under the Cartagena Protocol to promote
biosafety

• Advance Informed Agreement (AIA)

• Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH)

• Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework

• Capacity Building

• Public Awareness

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Conferences of the Parties (COPs) Conference
of the Parties to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (COP) Serving as the Meeting of the
Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety(COP/MOP)Open Ended AD Hoc Working
Group on Biosafety (BSWG) andIntergovernmen
tal Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety (ICCP)
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Conferences of the Parties (COPs)
COP-1 Nassau, The Bahamas
(November December 1994)
COP-2 Jakarta, Indonesia
(November 1995) Decision II/5
established an Open Ended Ad Hoc
Working Group on Biosafety (BSWG)
COP-3 Buenos Aires, Argentina
(November 1996)
COP-4 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
(May 1998)
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COP-5 Nairobi, Kenya (May 2000)
Signing of the Cartagena Protocol
(67 signatures)
Intergovernmental Committee for the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (ICCP) was
established by Resumed ExCOP in
Montreal when the Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety was adopted
January 29, 2000
COP-6 The Hague, The Netherlands
(April 2000)
COP-7 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
(February 2004)
COP-8 Brazil (The first half of
2006)
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CBD Negotiating Groups

• European Community (EU)
• JUSCANZ (Japan, US, Canada, Australia, New
  Zealand)
• Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)
• GRULAC (Latin American and Caribbean Group)
• African Group
• Asia and Pacific Group
• Others
• - Arab Group
• - G-77/China
• - Pacific Small Island Developing
  States (SIDS)
• - Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries

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Conference of the Parties to the CBD serving as
the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP) COP/MOP-1
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
(February 2004, back to back with COP-7)
COP/MOP-2 Montreal, Canada
(2005)
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Ad Hoc Working Group on Biosafety
MeetingsBSWG-1 Aarhus, Denmark (July
1996)BSWG-2 Montreal, Canada (May
1997)BSWG-3 Montreal, Canada (October
1997)BSWG-4 Montreal, Canada (February
1998)BSWG-5 Montreal, Canada (August
1998)BSWG-6 Cartagena, Colombia (February
1999) ExCOP Meeting (February
1999)
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Informal Consultations to resume the ExCOP
- Montreal, Canada (July 1, 1999) - Vienna,
Austria (September 15-19, 1999)Vienna
Setting (A Hexagonal Negotiating Table)
established Chair 5 Negotiating
GroupsVienna Setting was to be used at the
Resumed ExCOP in Montreal January 24-28, 2000
(Ironically, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
was not adopted until 0450 AM January 29,
2000
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ICCP MeetingsICCP-1 Montpellier, France
(December 2000)ICCP-2 Nairobi
Kenya (October 2001)ICCP-3 The
Hague, The Netherlands (April 2002, back to
back with COP-7)
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Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Negotiating
Groups

• European Union (EU)
• Central and Eastern European Group (CEE)
• Miami Group (Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile,
  United States, Uruguay)
• Like-minded Group (most developing countries)
• Compromise Group (Japan, Mexico, Norway,
  Republic of Korea and
• Switzerland, later New Zealand and
  Singapore joined)

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Other CBD Related Meetings

• COP Bureau Meeting (12 members)

• - Chair (COP President)
• - Vice Chair (Past COP President)

- Regional Representatives (10)
- European Community (EU) (1) -
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) (1) -
GRULAC (2) - JUSCANZ (2) -
African Group (2) - Asia and Pacific
Group (2)
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SBSTTA - Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and Technological
Advice, according to CBD Article 25

• Other Subsidiary Bodies Expert Groups, Ad
  Hoc Working Groups etc

• High Level Ministerial Segment during each COP

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Thank you all !